Orange County to host free showing of '12 Strong' for veterans on Jan. 24 at Monroe cinema

Movie tells the story of first Special Forces team deployed to Afghanistan after 9/11 terrorist attacks

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Orange County Executive Steven M. Neuhaus and Veterans Service Agency Director Christian Farrell will host a free showing of the new highly acclaimed movie “12 Strong” for veterans at 4 p.m. on Wednesday, Jan. 24, at the Town of Monroe Arts & Civic Center.

Orange County Deputy Commissioner of Emergency Services Alan Mack (right) and actor Chris Hemsworth together in New York City on Monday, Jan. 15.

GOSHEN — Orange County Executive Steven M. Neuhaus and Veterans Service Agency Director Christian Farrell will host a free showing of the new highly acclaimed movie “12 Strong” for veterans at 4 p.m. on Wednesday, Jan. 24, at the Town of Monroe Arts and Civic Center, located at 34 Millpond Parkway.

The county coordinated the event with new Town of Monroe Supervisor Tony Cardone and the Monroe Town Board.

Movie opens nationwide on Friday"12 Strong," which stars Chris Hemsworth, tells the story of the first Special Forces team deployed to Afghanistan immediately after the September 11th terrorist attacks. They joined with local Afghan warlords to conduct missions against the Taliban. The film is based on Doug Stanton’s non-fiction book, "Horse Soldiers," and will be in theaters on Friday.

“The 9/11 terrorist attacks forever changed our lives and movies such as 12 Strong are important because they portray the challenges and adversity that our service members faced overseas during combat,” Neuhaus said. “They also help us understand our veterans’ needs when they return home from the battlefield. We look forward to hosting this event, which provides Orange County veterans with an opportunity to come together, enjoy a great movie and share some of their experiences.”

'A true public servant'Orange County Deputy Commissioner of Emergency Services Alan Mack, a decorated U.S. Army veteran, will address guests before the movie. Mack, who would become a chief warrant officer, enlisted in the Army in 1981 and became a helicopter pilot in 1989. Mack was one of the first pilots to fly into Afghanistan during Operation Enduring Freedom in 2001, bringing the same Special Forces unit depicted in "12 Strong" to battle the Taliban during the start of the engagement.

“Alan Mack is a true public servant, serving with the Special Forces and other elite military units, including Delta Force and the U.S. Navy’s renowned Seal Team Six,” Neuhaus said. “Orange County is fortunate to have a man of his caliber working on behalf of our residents. He has been a tremendous asset to our talented Emergency Services team and I’m proud to call him a friend.”

Mack spent time with some members of the Special Forces he served with in Afghanistan, Hemsworth and producer Jerry Bruckheimer in New York City earlier this week. He has served as the county’s Deputy Commissioner of Emergency Services since August 2016.

“I’m proud to share my experiences with this group of veterans and listen to some of theirs,” Mack said. “I remember the sense of urgency that we all felt during Operation Enduring Freedom and the importance of the mission. I was honored to serve with the Special Forces during the war in Afghanistan and was glad to reconnect with some of these heroes this week.”

Essential informationVeterans can reserve a spot to view 12 Strong on January 24th by contacting Farrell at 291-2470 or cfarrell@orangecountygov.com.